Page 178 - oliver-twist

would do me. Come on, and don’t stand preaching there.’
The girl burst into a laugh; drew her shawl more closely
round her; and they walked away. But Oliver felt her hand
tremble, and, looking up in her face as they passed a gas-
lamp, saw that it had turned a deadly white.
They walked on, by little-frequented and dirty ways, for
a full half-hour: meeting very few people, and those ap-
pearing from their looks to hold much the same position
in society as Mr. Sikes himself. At length they turned into
a very filthy narrow street, nearly full of old-clothes shops;
the dog running forward, as if conscious that there was no
further occasion for his keeping on guard, stopped before
the door of a shop that was closed and apparently unten-
anted; the house was in a ruinous condition, and on the
door was nailed a board, intimating that it was to let: which
looked as if it had hung there for many years.
‘All right,’ cried Sikes, glancing cautiously about.
Nancy stooped below the shutters, and Oliver heard the
sound of a bell. They crossed to the opposite side of the
street, and stood for a few moments under a lamp. A noise,
as if a sash window were gently raised, was heard; and soon
afterwards the door softly opened. Mr. Sikes then seized the
terrified boy by the collar with very little ceremony; and all
three were quickly inside the house.
The passage was perfectly dark. They waited, while the
person who had let them in, chained and barred the door.
‘Anybody here?’ inquired Sikes.
‘No,’ replied a voice, which Oliver thought he had heard
before.

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